The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 15, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Souders’s debut is a funny look at one whole cow who decides to act differently, allowing readers the chance to practice their fractions. Barely passable rhyming couplets tell of her craziness: “One whole cow sat down to play the cello / while eating a daisy that was orange and bright yellow.” Questions in a different type then ask readers to identify the fractional parts of the daisy by looking at the picture. Stunt by goofy stunt, beginning with halves, youngsters work their way up to tenths. The final spread gives the answers beside miniaturized versions of the pictures. Combining watercolors with some collage, Mai-Wyss’s illustrations make the book come alive. Her cow is wonderfully wacky, and observant readers will enjoy the antics of her three chicken companions. While the artwork makes it easy for children to see and count the fractional parts, there is no instruction given as to what fractions are or how to make/reduce them, making this more of a practice exercise than a teaching tool. Add in the stumbling verse, and this one's a miss. (Picture book. 6-10)

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